Malevolent Shadows: Book 2: Bloodlust
by Ember121
Summary: Torn between emotions. Split between two opposing sides. Good or evil. Thrown into a world of fear, lies and betrayal, Fallenpaw struggles to distinguish which side is right, Emberstrike is torn between her emotions. The enemy grows stronger as we weaken. However, they do say that hope can be even more dangerous than fear. But what happens if there is almost none left? (Book 2)
1. Allegiances & Prologue

**WAIT!**

**This is the second book in the Malevolent Shadows Trilogy! If you haven't read my first book Malevolent Shadows: Book 1: Amnesia Then you should read that first. I don't want any readers unintentionally spoiling it for themselves.**

s/10286225/1/Malevolent-Shadows-Book-1-Amnesia

**The prologue is a bit strange but... hope you don't mind.**

**The allegiances are for: SkyClan, BloodClan, and ThunderClan. **

**Anyway, I'm really pleased that I'm starting the second book. I'll be updating constantly, and I hope a few of the people that read my previous book will be wanting to continue on and read the sequel. (:**

**Also, apologies for the... not-that-good image right now. I'll replace it soon.**

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**SkyClan Allegiances:**

Leader: Breezestar-slender smoky black she-cat with faint silver stripes and pale silver paws with icy blue eyes

Deputy: Thistlespots-dark brown tabby tom with fur that sticks up in tufts and black spots with dark amber eyes

Medicine Cat: Poppywish-dark red furred tabby she-cat with a tortoiseshell and white tail and pale green eyes

Apprentice: Tinywing

Warriors:

Tigermist-pale brown she-cat with dark brown stripes and dark brown paws with bright amber eyes

Apprentice: Morningpaw

Ripplestreak-pale gray tom with darker silver stripes and a black striped tail with dark yellow eyes

Briarsong-dark brown furred she-cat with light brown dapples and white paws with amber eyes

Nettlestrike-dark brown tabby tom-cat with a black chest and underbelly with a black ringed tail and amber eyes

Cloudpath-long furred white tom-cat with a dark gray streak running from nose to tail tip and blue eyes

Speckledash-white furred tom with light brown speckles and light brown paws with blue eyes

Stormstrike-pale gray tom-cat with dark gray stripes and black dapples with stormy gray eyes

Apprentice: Duskpaw

Fallowsplash-white furred she-cat with pale gray tabby splotches and pale yellow eyes

Flamelight-dark ginger furred tom with dark red stripes and dark red ears with pale green eyes

Spottedraven-tortoiseshell she-cat with red, black, brown and gray dapples with dark brown eyes

Apprentice: Scarletpaw

Tallsun-pale golden tom-cat with dark ginger dapples and green eyes

Coldsnow-white furred tom with a silver striped tail and silver ears with blue eyes

Nightgaze-black furred tom with silver stripes and silver tail tip with pale blue eyes

Apprentices:

Tinywing-small white furred she-cat with pale gray speckles and dark blue eyes

Duskpaw-dark blue she-cat with a black splotch on her face and a black tail with yellow eyes

Morningpaw-pale gray she-cat with dark gray streaks and yellow eyes

Scarletpaw-dark red she-cat with a pale ginger striped tail and pale ginger paws with light green eyes

Queens:

Swallowfern-white furred she-cat with light brown stripes and amber eyes, mother to Coldsnow's kits (Lilykit-silver tabby she-cat with brown spots and pale blue eyes, Dovekit-smoky gray she-cat with a white splash on her chest and forehead and amber eyes)

Heatherdawn-light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and a white tail tip and green eyes, mother to Nightgaze's kits (Mintkit-white furred she-cat with light brown spots and a light brown tail tip and green eyes, Fawnkit-light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and light brown ears with amber eyes, Wolfkit-dark gray tom with silver dapples and silver paws with amber eyes, Darkkit-dark smoky gray tom with black markings and ears and green eyes)

Mistynight-pale gray she-cat with a silver paw, a silver tail tip and silver stripes with pale blue eyes, expecting Speckledash's kits in a moon

Elders:

Willowcloud-pale gray she-cat with silver stripes and silver markings and pale blue eyes

Stonepine-pale gray tom with dark gray stripes and brown paws with amber eyes

Dawnpool-cream furred she-cat with white paws and a splash of white on my chest and gray eyes

**BoneClan Allegiances:**

Leader: Demonstar-black furred she-cat with a silver tint and odd blood-red eyes

Cats:

Rook-shaggy jet-black furred tom-cat, a long and bushy tail, tipped fangs and sharp claws with piercing ice blue eyes

Silver-silver furred she-cat with a dark gray paw and pale yellow eyes

Moon-silver furred tom-cat with a dark gray tail tip and pale yellow eyes

Cloud-fluffy white furred she-cat with gray tipped ears and dark blue eyes

Pine-thin, lanky light brown furred tom-cat with a dark brown striped tail and green eyes

Raven-dark gray mottled black she-cat with dark amber eyes

Falcon-silver tom with dark gray dapples and light blue eyes

Blue-blue furred she-cat with gray paws and gray eyes

Flora-tortoiseshell and brown she-cat with white spots and blue eyes

Lily-ginger furred she-cat with dark red ears and paws with dark green eyes

Sharp-dark ginger tom with green eyes

Fire-dark ginger tom with amber eyes

Blaze-red and ginger dappled tom-cat with yellow eyes

Shadow-silver and black striped she-cat with dark blue eyes

Maple-tortoiseshell she-cat with red spots and brown spots and dark blue eyes

Spencer-dark brown tom with black paws and a black tail tip with dark gray eyes

Jasper-black furred tom with pale gray stripes and pale yellow eyes

Striker-gray tom with black stripes and blue eyes

Furze-black and white spotted tom with dark green eyes

Smear-white tom with a black streak on his back with dark amber eyes

Flicker-white she-cat with ginger speckles and red ears with forest green eyes

Crow-dark gray tom with smoky black paws and smoky black striped tail with dark blue eyes

Slash-dark gray and silver tom with amber eyes

Hazel-white she-cat with pale gray spots and pale gray stripes and pale blue eyes

Black-black tom with dark gray hardly visible stripes and dark gray paws with pale yellow eyes

Blossom-tortoiseshell she-cat with red paws and blue eyes

Cali-calico she-cat with brown spots and amber eyes

Cherry-dark red she-cat with ginger spots and ginger paws with dark green eyes

Cross-silver and black tom with green eyes

Cedar-dark gray tom with black spots and blue eyes

Cinder-pale gray she-cat with black spots and green eyes

Ash-pale gray tom with dark gray speckles and black dapples with shadowy blue eyes

Fallen-broad-shouldered long-furred silver and black tabby tom-cat marked with battle scars and dark amber eyes

Queens:

Misty-pale gray she-cat with dark gray splotches and pale blue eyes, mother to Cross's kits (Smokekit-smoky gray tom with blue eyes, Dawnkit-cream furred tom with a golden tail and blue eyes)

Winter-white she-cat with blue stripes and blue eyes, mother to Pine's kits (Antkit-light brown tom with dark brown stripes and dark green eyes, Sharkkit-dark gray tom with pale gray paws and blue eyes, Thornkit-golden and white she-cat with blue eyes, Whitekit-white furred she-cat with blue eyes, Rainkit-dark blue furred she-cat with dark gray stripes and white paws and blue eyes)

Rose-dark cream furred she-cat with red dapples and a red tail with blue eyes, mother to Fire's kits (Redkit-dark red furred tom with ginger spots and blue eyes, Brownkit-dark brown and russet spotted she-cat with green eyes, Russetkit-russet furred she-cat with red paws and a red tail with blue eyes)

Stream-silver she-cat with blue stripes and blue eyes, mother to Jasper's kits: (Lilykit-dark brown tabby she-cat with white paws and green eyes, Aquakit-pale blue furred she-cat with green eyes)

Fern-golden furred she-cat with pale gray paws and pale gray tail tip, expecting Cross's kits

Silver-silver furred she-cat with a black tail and green eyes, expecting Furze's kits

Turtle-tortoiseshell she-cat with white and red dapples and pale blue eyes, expecting Falcon's kits

**ThunderClan Allegiances:**

Leader: Whitestar-broad shouldered white tom with icy blue eyes

Deputy: Tigerstorm-dark brown and black tabby tom with a splash of white on his chest and amber eyes

Medicine Cat: Dawnriver-cream furred she-cat with pale blue eyes

Apprentice: Skyfeather

Warriors:

Pinefeather-light brown tabby tom with a white underbelly, tail-tip, ears, paws and amber eyes

Snowflash-white tom with a splash of silver on his chest with blue eyes

Apprentice: Willowpaw

Hazelcloud-white and brown dappled she-cat with green eyes

Rosepelt-red and brown dappled she-cat with green eyes

Jayleaf-pale gray tabby tom with jay-blue eyes

Apprentice: Mosspaw

Feathersnow-silver and dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes

Leafstream-light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice: Poppypaw

Sunfeather-golden tabby she-cat with a white underbelly and amber eyes

Redfire-red and ginger mottled tom with amber eyes

Cloudfrost-white tom with blue eyes

Vixenrose-dark red she-cat with a bushy tail with a black tail-tip and green eyes

Apprentice: Cherrypaw

Thistlefrost-golden tabby tom-cat whose fur sticks up in tufts with amber eyes

Apprentice: Lynxpaw

Flowercloud-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes

Raintail-silvery blue tom with blue eyes

Nightmoon-black tom with amber eyes

Darkshade-black tom with dark gray paws and amber eyes

Flameowl-bright ginger she-cat with green eyes

Stormhawk-cream and gray dappled tom with blue eyes

Berrywhisker-cream furred tom with blue eyes

Blossomsky-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with a golden tail-tip and amber eyes

Apprentices:

Skyfeather-light brown tabby tom with a white underbelly and paws and sky-blue eyes

Mosspaw-light gray and white dappled she-cat with blue eyes

Willowpaw-light gray and white tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Poppypaw-tortoiseshell, white and red she-cat with a red tail tip and amber eyes

Lynxpaw-red and brown mottled tom with amber eyes

Cherrypaw-ginger and red dappled she-cat with red paws and amber eyes

Queens:

Fernsnow-brown and golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Raintail's kits: Bluekit (blue furred tom with blue eyes) Lionkit (golden tabby she-kit with a white underbelly and amber eyes) Vinekit (golden tabby tom with brown stripes and amber eyes) Ashkit (pale gray she-cat with blue eyes)

Pantherlight-black she-cat with a splash of gray on her chest and amber eyes, mother to Snowflash's kits (Lightkit-white furred she-cat with silver spots and amber eyes, Crowkit-black tom with a splash of gray on his chest and amber eyes)

Dappleleaf-red and brown dappled she-cat with a white tail-tip and green eyes, expecting Feathersnow's kits

Elders:

Larkheart-gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Talonclaw: dark gray and black tom with amber eyes

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Prologue:

A dark furred she-cat slunk out of the shadows, her queer eyes gleaming. A cold smirk of satisfaction and pleasure was curled on her muzzle, twisting her probably once angelic and beautiful features into a mask of bitter amusement. She sank her claws into the ground with each step, her tail flicking, eyes staring into nothing, head lost in thought. Thoughts filled with revenge, with blood, with gore, with destruction and flames and death. She pictured it once more; her, poised lightly and deadly as a panther, claws unsheathed and dripping with crimson blood, fangs out and eyes alight with a icy fury. She would be undefeated. There was no way she would lose the upcoming war. No way at all. She shuffled forward, the shadows blending with her dark pelt, helping her meld into the darkness.

"I know you're here." She spoke, her mouth opened slightly and eyes narrowed. She didn't show any concern or fear, nor did she show anger, or happiness, or just plain surprise. She was expressionless and emotionless, the smirk seeming to peel off her lips and her face returning to a cold, stony mask of nothing. "I know you want to talk to me." Her tail flicked slightly, as if beckoning the other cat forward. The tom stepped out of the shadows, his pelt gleaming in the darkness. His eyes were dark with the lust for revenge. However, she was not afraid, as she knew the lust and the vengeance boiling beneath his pelt, so close to erupting, was not felt for her. No, it wasn't. It was felt for something much more reasonable, she thought. The vengeance was held for the clans. She suspected there was hate for her as well, although tiny compared to the large amount for the clan cats. But this time, they weren't to talk about business. This was about something much more personal.

The tom said nothing, just gazing at her. He was silent, his expression a mixture of so many that she couldn't even tell which one he was feeling at the moment. He dug his claws into the ground, rage making his eyes seem almost black. However, he still did not speak. His posture was stiff and tense, his muscles flexing as he stood there.

"Well?" She snapped, impatience clear in her voice. "Speak." Clearly unused to the silence and unwillingness to cooperate with her, she was slightly taken back. Her perfect posture was broken. Also frustration that he was refusing to speak about…. About _him_. "Fine." She snarled, her fur fluffing up. She whirled on him, her eyes flashing with defiance and frustration. "It'll just be me talking about him." She scowled fiercely at him. "Lets see, he is a great fighter. He is about to be a father, as young as he is. He is incredible at hunting. He surprisingly is a very good swimmer. However, he is not a climber. He is pretty good at controlling his fury." Her eyes glinted as she added the last part. "He is almost mine."

"Interesting." The tom mused, wreathing himself around the she-cat. His eyes sparked with slight dark amusement as she stiffened at his touch, yanking herself away from him. The one thing she was afraid of. Never would she admit it, but somewhere in that frozen heart of hers, past all the layers of ice and walls and thorns, there was one vulnerability. And to his great delight it was him. He was the one. The one who had abused her innocence, betrayed her trust, _broken her heart. _"His looks?" He stated. Although trying to push it down, a small spark of curiosity built in his chest at the thought of him. After all these moons and moons of searching, they had found him. Finally.

"A mix." The she-cat's voice was stiff and cold, eyes narrowed. "He has your silver pelt, but he has black markings that came from me. He has your strong build and icy blue eyes."

The tom's eyes lit up in amusement and cruel excitement. "Shame." He sneered. "All those traits from me, and only the measly black markings that shows he's even related to you." The black she-cat's eyes flashed, the familiar blood-red he had looked into so many times. Sudden coldness and anger whirled in them, like a storm, and she took a threatening step forward. She curled her lip, her fangs showing. The tom suddenly felt a small trickle of fear, something he had never before felt for anything. Her protective way of acting, her fury when he taunted her, the small spark of pride in her voice… He couldn't hold back the peal of laughter that erupted from his throat. The foolish she-cat had fallen in love with him. Their son. The one they had planned as an asset to destroy the clans. The one they didn't care if he died or not, but only if he fulfilled the destiny his parents had put out for him. "You love him!" He chortled. "Still the same naive she-cat, I see."

"Every mother loves her kit." She retorted, however her voice was even. Her tail trembled slightly, and the tom noticed. She inwardly cursed for showing that bit of vulnerability to him. He noticed _everything. _It was how he got to his title. His position.

"But does every kit love their mother?" He murmured, his voice no louder than a whisper. His breath tickled her ear, and she flinched away from him. She hated the way she flinched from everything he did. The way she would wince at his words, flinch from his touch, shiver at something as plain as the sight of his familiar, taunting, cruel face.

"I came to discuss how we would use him. In our plans." She snapped, taking the topic off of her unwanted affections for her son. "Not to discuss me." Her voice was sharp as she spoke.

He turned away from her. Perfectly still. Not budging.

She sighed with frustration. She turned away from him as well, not moving. If he didn't wish to cooperate, then she would wait. She gazed forward, her red gaze raking across the clearing. She was at the edge of the twolegplace, and they were both standing only a few fox-lengths from a Thunderpath. She growled lowly, imagining herself throwing him and his smug face right into the dangerous path of a monster. She looked across, as there were no twolegs walking anywhere. It was dead silent. The breeze was harsh, pushing against the twigs of the trees. They picked up a few rare, rotten leaves off the ground and carried them away. It was so quiet she could hear her own heartbeat. She could hear his breathing. She continued to draw her gaze up. It was midnight, so the sky was a dark vivid blue, melding with the blackness of the shadowy darkness. The moon glowed eerily, amongst an empty sky without any stars. It was not half-moon yet, but three days before. This was when she always met up with that despicable tom. She growled under her breath.

"That's easy. Convince him that he's on our side." The tom meowed suddenly, breaking her line of thought. "We can keep doing this, you know. Since not every soul is strong enough to harbor… a 'demon' in it, we can test them. Next half-moon we will meet here with seven cats each. They will be the strongest of the strongest. And Fallen will be their mentor."

She felt her heart skip a beat. White flashed across the sky. A loud rumbling noise came. Lightning and thunder. Sudden, icy sheets of water came escaping down from the sky, pounding down on them. Sheets of ice water doused him and her, and icy wind started to buffet them. However, her heart did not jump because of that. It was because he had used the name. Her son's name. The name she had specifically picked out due to her fury and rage at _him_.

"How do you know I would be able to convince him?" She responded. "Why don't you come too?"

"It's storming." He noted.

"I know." She meowed, flicking rain water out of her ear.

"We should split ways. Come at the half-moon." The silver tom growled.

She opened her jaws to say something, her heart squeezing. She longed to ask him to come with her, just once, to meet their son.

He turned away from her. She watched as he padded away, her heart squeezing.

One step further… Then another. She watched his silhouette slowly disappear from her sight.

That was when she got the courage.

The courage to ask him, the one single cat she had loved, to come visit their son. Their creation.

"Asher!" She shouted after him.

Her one vulnerability.

The one thing she could never defeat.

Her only weakness.

Blood roared in her ears.

The silhouette stopped for a heartbeat and her own heart stopped.

She opened her jaws to shout something else.

He turned away from her, padding swiftly.

She gazed, a soft sound slipping out of her mouth. His silhouette melded with the blackness, disappearing as he faded into the night. He was gone, and now he would never meet their son. Never know who their son really was, before he became a villain. A villain like her. A villain like him.

She couldn't hold it in anymore.

She crumpled to the ground, her ears flattened and her heart pounding harder than she could ever before. The one good thing that had come out of their love, the one good thing that she had created. It was about to be taken away, all because of her. It was going to be taken away before it got a chance to meet its own father.

She did something she had never done before.

She let out all the anger and sadness and fury that was building up inside of her.

She broke down.

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**Well, that prologue wasn't all that informative. It was mostly just discussing Fallenpaw, but if you read carefully you can pick out quite a lot of important information about their future plan, and also the main weakness of Demonstar. (:**

**Anyway, I apologize if it's not that good. I'm jet-lagged and my brain is kind of messy, but I just wanted to post this because I was excited. c:**

**Anyway~ Read, Review! Follow, Fav!**


	2. Chapter 1: Always

**Here's Chapter 1! Most of it is actually Emberstrike's view from the sneak peek. Thats what the first 3 chapters will be, mainly, but I wanted that out of the way so I can actually get going with the story. **

**Petalfire: Aw, thanks! I'm glad you like it + I'm also pleased you'll be reviewing~ Feedback & Reviews are always welcome.**

**Amberstorm223: I hope so. xD**

**Flight of the Snowy Owl: Thanks, and here it is~**

**Briarleaf: I think I do remember you. You reviewed a few times on my old fanfic, and you said you were really excited for this book. Thanks.**

**Lionblazelover332: Yeah, I know. I think I'm almost over it, though, so yay for me.**

**Orangeflight of ShadowClan: Thanks! ^_=' I'm glad you're excited for this. I am too.**

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I yawned, stretching slightly. I slipped into a crouch, waggling my haunches and leaping out of the Twoleg cat nest. I waved my tail at Linnea, signaling that I was going out. She twitched her ears in response, already used to it. I padded past her, pushing my head against the cat… flap, and awkwardly hopped out. A bright smile stretched across my face, eyes shining as I noticed Red. The red furred tom was perched neatly on the fence, his ears twitching and tail flicking. He smiled at me in greeting, and waved his tail.

I leapt upwards, my already round stomach making it hard for me to claw my way up the fence. Red just sat there, blinking, an amused expression written on his face. I growled, finally managing my way up the fence. I clouted his ear, rolling my eyes in amusement as well.

"Rude. Not bothering to help a poor she-cat climb the fence." I sniffed, my ears twitching.

"I've seen you every day for more than a quarter moon." I tilted my head, where was he going with this? "I have never helped you up this fence, not once." He pointed out. "Why should I start now?"

"Rude. Just, rude." I shook my head in mock disapproval, flicking him lightly with my tail. I padded forward, so used to the fence underneath my paws that I didn't even wobble anymore. I was perfectly balanced as I bounded across the wooden fence. I leapt off the fence, heading towards a tree.

"What are you doing?" Red questioned, his eyes gleaming.

"My claws are restless." I responded. "Don't you kittypets ever work your claws?

Red looked bemused. "Why would I?"

"Typical." I shook my head, sighing.

Red simply just shrugged, bounding behind me. "Whatever." He meowed, eyes gleaming.

I shuffled past him, raking my claws down the tree. I sighed in satisfaction as I felt the bark crunch and flake off beneath my powerful claws. My sharp claws that ripped away everything in its path, causing four streaks of bareness, without bark, on the tree's trunk. Satisfaction made my claws tingle as the restlessness faded, and I scratched the bark a few more times.

"Feels nice." I purred, nodding at Red.

"Weird." Was his response.

"You're weird!" I retorted, tail lashing.

Red suddenly looked more serious. "When is Fallenpaw coming to get you?" He sounded slightly awkward. I felt a thorn-sharp stab of pain in my chest, and I instinctively flinched. Red's eyes shimmered, and he opened his jaws, probably to apologize. I quickly shook my head.

"I don't know." I meowed quietly. "I really don't know."

The red-furred tom looked apologetic, and he pushed his muzzle into my fur. "I'm sorry, Ember."

I had grown accustomed to him not calling me by my full name. He knew that I was a warrior, but he thought that saying Emberstrike was a mouthful. I was fine with it, however. Red was the best friend I had ever had. He was funny, he knew how to make me smile, he could cheer me up, and I had actually let down my walls and let him in. I had shown him more vulnerability than many others, and I had actually gotten to know him. His life wasn't all that interesting, but he was really nice. I loved him, but… I wasn't sure if it was romantically or not.

"It's okay." I murmured, wrapping myself tightly around him.

His eyes flashed. "No it's not!" He meowed suddenly, his voice sharp and angry. "No tom should leave their pregnant mate behind as they go on some trip to recover their heritage or whatever. He has a loyalty to you, like it or not. Besides, I can't believe any cat with half a brain would leave a she-cat like you behind. Even if he does come back, he is making you depressed and stressed and you've been waiting for him for so long. It's not healthy for you _or _your kits." Red's fur was bristling, and his eyes were blazing with anger.

I knew he cared about me, and I cared about him, but I didn't like it when he talked about it like Fallenpaw was a jerk.

"It's not like that." I snapped suddenly, my eyes darkening. "He had to leave. He had no choice."

"We always have choices." Red reasoned, his voice dark.

"Just drop it, okay?" I growled, my ears flattening against my head.

Red was silent for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah. I'm sorry." He offered me a faint smile, and gently brushed against me. A gesture of comfort.

"It's fine." I replied.

"Well, anyways." Red meowed brightly. "It turns out Daisy is actually overweight. They had to take her to the cutter to check if it was healthy."

"You're joking." I giggled, my amber eyes sparkling.

"I swear I'm not!" Red laughed back, his green eyes bright.

"You're so stupid sometimes." I shook my head in amusement, cuffing him lightly over the ear. I gently curled my tail over my kits, as I often, not even thinkingly did. It had become an instinct. My belly was slightly swollen, and the rabbit droppings, or, twoleg brown pellet food wasn't as bad as I thought. Life as a kittypet was surprisingly decent.

I lay down in Linnea's yard, and I didn't even flinch when he pressed against me. I found it relaxing. His dark red fur mixing with my ginger fur. Our warmth flooded together, and it was a painful reminder of Fallenpaw. The dark silver and black tom was on my thoughts constantly, but I pushed him away often, as I knew it would just hurt. He would come back to me when he was ready, although it had already been a half-moon.

I rolled onto my back, gazing up at the sky. "It's so pretty." I murmured softly.

"I know." Red whispered. Almost shyly, he added. "Just like you."

Green met amber, and warmth flooded between eyes. A mixture of emotions rose in my chest, and I struggled to push them down. I wasn't sure what to think.

"I wonder how ThunderClan is doing… Or ShadowClan." I meowed, my voice slightly wistful. I felt Red twitch beside me, and felt his tail gently touching mine.

"I wonder what it would be like if I lived in ThunderClan." Red meowed, his voice hinting his longing. I could feel his warrior-likeness in every movement. The twitch of his muscles, the tilt of his head as he scented, the pricked ears, strong build and sharp claws. Most of all, his curiosity and adventurous nature. His warrior spirit.

"When me and Fallenpaw go back, maybe you can come with us." I responded.

Red stiffened beside me, as he always did when I said this. I know he didn't believe my mate was coming back for me. None of them did. Fallenpaw was my mate. The father to my kits. However, I had considered my options if he had not come back from me. I could say that Red was their father, or I could just say they didn't have one. I would wait till they were apprentice aged, and travel the perilous journey back to ThunderClan. Maybe even bring Red with me.

I know Red cared about me, and I cared about him too. Every day, since I had first met him and talked to him about warriors, the young and curious tom had been surprising me with new hidden talents and thoughts. We talked often, and sometimes even sat beside each other to watch sunsets, or hunted together if I was feeling up to it. I was drowning, in a way, and he had pulled me out.

"Emberstrike… I really care about you." Red confessed, his green eyes round. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I won't." I meowed firmly. My face then broke out in a smile. "And I really care about you too, Red."

I owed so much to Red. I didn't know what I would do without him. He was my best friend, and in some ways even like a slight replacement to Owlsoul. However, I was also attracted to him. Emotions and frustration surged through my pelt. How I felt to him was so confusing and every time I thought of it I would just get frustrated with myself and stop. It was necessary to figure out my feelings for him though, because Fallenpaw was there too. Despair made my eyes darken.

I shuffled a bit closer to Red, curling up beside him. I smelled his scent. He always smelled nice and fresh, he smelled often like mint or lavender. Loneliness surged over me, and I longed for Fallenpaw so much it took my breath away. I pushed back a mournful wail, and struggled to keep my emotions calm. "I miss him." I meowed quietly, my voice sounding strangled. Red knew who I was talking about. He always did.

"I know you do." He responded, his voice no louder than a whisper. He gave my ear a comforting lick and pulled away, his green eyes shining. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Wait." I meowed. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

His eyes gleamed in the dusk, and he nodded. "Always." He then padded back to me, and lay down. I again pressed against him, curling up against his stomach. He was always there when I needed him. And I always needed him. I pressed my muzzle in his fur, the wails rising in my throat threatening to spill. They slowly pulled down, and the loneliness seemed to cease as the red tom wrapped himself around me, his tail curled protectively around me. I pressed against him, my spine pressing against his chest and stomach. I felt his breath make his chest rise and fall as he breathed.

His breathing in a way, was a lullaby for me.

It comforted my loneliness, and drove away the nightmares. I felt my heart squeeze in the need and affection I felt for the tom, and I pressed tighter against him. My eyes fluttered shut, for once, not Fallenpaw's name, but a different name lingering in my thoughts as I drifted off to the world of sleep.

_Red._

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**Yeah sorry about the probably-boring chapter, because you already read half of it from the Sneak Peek. It'll get better soon, I promise. :3**

**As always~ Read, Review!**


	3. Chapter 2: Five Once More

**Thanks for the reviews~(:**

**Heatherwing332: I think Red & Ember are cute too, but I'm a positive supporter of FallenxEmber:D Yeah it does remind me of Tallstar and Jake, kinda... but not really. :d**

**Mirage1234: Lol. Filled with the hatred. :'p Anyway, yeah, the sentences were familiar coz I'm taking stuff from the sneak peek and putting it in, coz I kinda just copy+pasted stuff out of my first three chapters into the sneak peek. Anyway, you'll find out who the other tom is :3 And don't hate on Red, he's just being a good kitty D: He's just a bit flirtatious, that's all. :D + My summer vacay was only 2 weeks or so, but i'm traveling again soon. xD**

**Lucky333123: Alright, here it is~ :D If you wanna know when new chapters are released, I think you follow it? (Idk, i dont know how that stuff works)**

**Orangeflight of ShadowClan: Thanks :O Here's the next chapter~**

**Petalfire: I ship Rember too, but I ship FallenxEmber even more. :D Fallenpaw and Emberstrike are so perf. :3**

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"Ripplestreak's hurt!"

A panicked yowl bounced along the walls of the gorge, and a black she-cat raised her head sharply. Her icy blue gaze swept across the clearing, fixing itself on a gray tom. Her silver stripes rippled as she twisted her body, her muscles tense and face dark with dismay. The gray tom was being carried by his clanmates as he dragged himself into camp. A bone in his neck was jutting out awkwardly, and his face was still. He lay limply from his clanmates grip, like a piece of dead fresh-kill.

"Poppywish, save him!" A fluffy white and gray she-cat begged, sounding almost choked with emotion. Her eyes were frantic as she dashed over to the gray tom. "He's so still…" She reached out a paw to touch his flank, and she sprang back as if her paw got burnt. Her voice was almost a scream of agony. "He's not breathing!" She wailed in horror, tipping her head back. "Ripplestreak!"

A dark red tabby she-cat with a tortoiseshell tail gazed sorrowfully at the gray tom. "There was nothing I could do." Poppywish meowed, her voice sounding almost broken with grief. She bowed her head in defeat. "I'm so sorry." She reached out a paw, and gently touched the bone jutting out of his neck. "He snapped his neck." Her tail trembled as she meowed quietly, almost as if it was a reassurance to others. "At least he felt no pain."

"But he's dead!" The gray and white she-cat exploded, her eyes shining with sadness. She pawed pitifully at the corpse of the tom, now set gently on the floor of the gorge. The black she-cat just stared in dismay, shocked to the bone. She stood, paralyzed as she watched her own warriors mourn and grieve for the gray tom. "He was so young…" For their clanmate. Tragedy had struck again, so soon after a twoleg had grabbed the heavily pregnant queen, Sagewing.

"This is the second dead cat in a moon." A dark brown tom meowed, his voice sounding resigned and horrified. He reached out a shaking paw and gently touched the gray tom, as if unwilling to believe Ripplestreak was actually dead. In all of the chaos, they had forgotten about their leader. And she had forgotten about herself, as she gazed, horrified at her loyal warrior, now lying in front of her, his life stolen from him.

"How did it happen?" Her voice escaped her lips, barely a whisper.

"The twoleg monster!" A brown tabby she-cat snarled, her eyes gleaming angrily. "It veered right off the Thunderpath, and crashed through the woods. It took down trees with it, and one of them fell on Ripplestreak. We tried to save him…" Her voice cracked. She looked so vulnerable and broken. She looked so angry and vengeful as well.

"Tigermist…" The dark brown tabby tom meowed, reaching out his tail towards the she-cat.

She snarled at him, batting it away. "No! Nettlestrike, we can't just keep ignoring this!" She snarled, her pelt fluffed up with fury. "The twolegs are wrecking everything. They're scaring away the prey, so we're all stick thin and unable to feed ourselves properly. They had captured and probably killed Sagewing, and now one of their twoleg monsters destroyed our trees _and _took Ripplestreak's life!" Her voice was no longer just an angry meow, but an enraged shout. "It's not fair!"

"Breezestar…?" A golden tom looked up at his leader helplessly.

She gazed, stricken, back at him.

Her gaze ran along her clanmates. Each and everyone of them. Shoulders sagging, tail dragging, ears drooping. Their eyes dull with defeat. Their bones jutting unhealthily out of their stick-thin figures. Their fur scraggly and unclean. Her gaze then darted towards the fresh-kill pile. A thin sparrow and a measly mouse were the only two things on it. Trembling, she gently ran her gaze across the clearing to the nursery. The nursery, where the kits were. Even the kits, so young, could understand something bad was happening. They were quiet and solemn, eyes round. She gazed, her heart twisting with pain at their stick-thin figures and weak, frail bodies. They coughed feebly, and their mother pulled them tighter, her eyes dark with dismay and grief.

"The twolegs had never bothered us like this before…" Breezestar began, her voice smooth and silky. She tried to act calm and brave for her warriors, but it didn't work. Her tail trembled, and her body shuddered with the strain of having to hold itself up high. She was so exhausted she could collapse. "Perhaps they will even stop."

"They won't stop!" A white tom meowed, panic stricken. "What about my kits and mate? Swallowfern can't produce enough milk to feed them, and Dovekit and Lilykit can't eat fresh-kill yet, even if there were any!" His tail lashed in frustration, and he gazed at his family, worry in his eyes.

Breezestar was silent. She couldn't think of anything reassuring to say to her clan. After all, there was nothing to say. "Bring a hunting patrol to the border on the opposite side of the twolegs." She commanded, her eyes dark with desperation. "See if there's anything to hunt. It's still leaf-fall, after all. There is bound to be some prey… somewhere. We just have to find it."

A dark tabby tom with black splotches leapt to his paws. Thistlespots. He gave her a small nod as he saw how exhausted she was. Her deputy leapt on to the rock, and began issuing out orders. "Cloudpath, Tallsun, Briarsong and Speckledash!" He called. "Nettlestrike will lead you guys to hunt, away from the twolegs. The elders will prepare Ripplestreak's body for burial."

Breezestar vaguely noticed he had chosen the cats that were the most fit. She couldn't even think of anything properly. Horror weighed her down as she sank into her nest. She sent a silent prayer to StarClan, wishing they would respond to her pleas.

_My brave warriors… Stay strong and fierce. Hunt well for your clan. Just like we have gotten out of tough situations before, SkyClan will survive. We must. _

~•~•~•~•~•~

"SkyClan is dying."

A group of four cats were assembled, sharing dark glances filled with horror and slight, acceptance.

"Will they even be strong enough to fight with us? Fight with us against the evil?" A silver and white tabby demanded, her dark blue eyes narrowed in doubt. Her tail flicked in slight contempt as she stared at the image in the pool of water. Two apprentices batting weakly at each other, their bones weighed heavily down, their ribs jutting out unhealthily and cheeks shrunken in. It was supposed to be a training doubt, but they weren't even fighting as hard as kits in the clans here did.

"I don't think they'll be strong enough…" A golden-brown tabby nodded, his sun-colored amber eyes gleaming dubiously. He hesitated for a heartbeat. "Maybe we can…"

Before he could finish, a sharp voice cut him off. "No." The gray tabby tom meowed sharply. "We barely have enough territory for ourselves in leaf-bare. How do you think they will fit? Get enough prey? It'll be just as bad as it is there."

"They're dying, Jayfeather." A smoky gray she-cat snapped, her fur fluffing up and eyes blazing. "Show some sympathy."

"I'll show sympathy when they come here, and _ThunderClan _starts dying." Jayfeather retorted, his pale jay-blue eyes glittering coldly. "Dovewing, you can't always fix everything."

Dovewing's eyes darkened, and she rose to her paws, her jaws open. "I can try at least!" She snapped at him. "Unlike you, I don't want to watch innocent lives die while we sit here, perfectly healthy, not lifting a paw to help." She shook her head angrily, lashing her fluffy tail. "That's just cruel."

"It's not cruelty!" Jayfeather snarled, his eyes darkening a degree. "It's called surviving."

"Whatever it's called, it's not right!" Dovewing shouted at him.

Ivypool and Lionstar exchanged dark glances, rolling their eyes in exasperation.

"Alright, shut up!" Lionstar snapped, cutting between their argument. "Jayfeather, you don't have to be so cold." The golden tabby tom pointed out, before swinging his head around to his old apprentice. "And you, Dovewing, don't have to always be so…" He trailed off.

"Giving?" Ivypool offered.

"Yeah. Giving." The tom snapped, his amber eyes gleaming.

Jayfeather was silent, staring grumpily back at his brother.

Dovewing sighed. "Fine." She responded.

"Good. Now can we discuss proper matters?" Ivypool sighed with impatience. "We have no choice. If we send Emberstrike-"

"Emberstrike?" Dovewing squeaked with shock. "She's pregnant! She can't make it to that gorge and starve herself! She has to go back to ThunderClan with the tribe."

"So you're saying, mountains are okay, but gorges aren't." Ivypool snapped.

"She'll be less pregnant by the time she's on the mountains! Only like a moon or so, and it'll take half a moon or less to get back to camp, so she can have her kits back at camp." Dovewing argued, her eyes narrowed in determination. "Think of the kits. We can't let them die for this. It'll _break _them, and any chance of Fallenpaw returning to us will be _shattered_. _Annihilated_."

"She's got a point there." Lionstar nodded seriously.

Ivypool shot a glance at the golden tom. "Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't know that." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. She huffed once, her breath fluttering her whiskers. Then she sighed. She nodded at her sister. "Fine, we'll do it that way. But what about Fallenpaw? How do we get him on the good side again?"

"Emberstrike!" All three cats almost shouted, leaping up to their paws.

Ivypool blinked.

"Alright." She nodded.

"But what do we have to do to get SkyClan to come with us? They're really weak, they won't be risking their lives on a long, dangerous journey just to help us, then to go straight back and starve." Lionstar snapped.

"Just don't make them come, then." Jayfeather growled.

"You know we need their help." Dovewing glared pointedly at the gray tabby tom. "We can offer them some land…"

"Are we really going to argue about this again?" Jayfeather snapped, bristling.

"You know what, yes we are!" Dovewing shot back at him.

"Enough!" Lionstar roared, his eyes blazing and tail lashing. "This is serious! We could possibly be facing the extinction of the clans, and you two…" He was speechless.

"Are acting like kits!" Ivypool finished for him, her eyes darkening with anger. "Now, be quiet, and help discuss the land."

"What about a spot between ShadowClan and ThunderClan?" Lionstar offered.

"They have powerful hind legs, so they can jump up and far for trees. They also like climbing and leaping, so the forest terrain is good for them." Ivypool agreed.

"Take more territory from ThunderClan away, as they have a bit more than ShadowClan. Then ThunderClan can take a bit of the moors from WindClan, as WindClan has the largest expanse of territory." Lionstar nodded, his eyes shining brightly with pride.

"Are you forgetting something?" Jayfeather snapped. "We don't hunt rabbits. And how in StarClan's name, do you think, ShadowClan and WindClan will be feeling about other cats taking _their _territory!"

"We can learn." Lionstar persisted. "And… I don't know."

"SkyClan's territory will be the smallest, but hey, if they don't like it they can leave." Ivypool meowed, nodding firmly.

"So this is happening?" Jayfeather sighed, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes." Dovewing nodded firmly.

"Like it or not," Ivypool sighed.

"SkyClan is coming back to the lake, and there will be five clans once more."

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**Still part of it is from the Sneak Peek. Only 1 chapter left that has sneak peek material. Hope you liked this chappy c':**

**As always~ Read, Review! Follow/Fav!**


	4. Chapter 3: Good or Evil?

**_By the way, I'm going back out for summer vacation. It'll last until school starts. ): I'm sorry. Anyway, I'll continue writing when school starts again, and I promise this book is not discontinued. It will be finished(:_**

**_This is the last chapter I post before I go off to finish my vacay(': !_**

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I leapt forward, my amber eyes blazing with the light and energy of a battle. Adrenaline pumped through me, and I felt the familiar thrill of anticipation and excitement dash through me. Heat flooded through me, and I relied on instincts as I twisted, ducked and lashed out at my enemy. I felt skin under my paws, then blood soak my paws and claws as I ripped at it, splitting it. Satisfaction ran through me, my amber eyes darkened with pleasure.

My enemy twisted, leaping upwards to face me. However, I leapt back up, twisting my body and kicking him heavily in the muzzle. A crunch. I gazed to see him, stumbling backwards, his fang chipped and half-broken off. I felt no remorse, no pity. I gazed at him with soulless eyes, nearly black with the fury of a fight. He let out a low growl of pain, before stumbling away. I smiled coldly. Every cat I faced. Every cat. They all ran from my outstretched claws.

"Good fight, Fallen." A black she-cat padded towards me, her red eyes gleaming with approval. Her voice was cold and emotionless, and she trailed her tail gently down my pelt. I shivered slightly, but felt no disgust towards this she-cat. My mother.

"Thank you." My voice was smooth as a river flowing when I responded. It was emotionless, and my body was tense and rigid, poised to attack if necessary.

"You can take a break." She gave me a brusque nod of approval, and I opened my jaws to protest. I didn't want to rest. However, I forced them shut, knowing she would not listen. Slightly seething with frustration at not having the thrill of a battle, of having flesh ripping beneath my paws, I veered away from the black she-cat towards my nest beside the dumpster. A few bones were scattered around the clearing, and I saw the repulsive remain of a cat's tail, brutally torn off, lying in the middle of the clearing. However, I did not mind. I had grown accustomed to this.

As always, my mind flicked to Emberstrike as I was alone. The ginger she-cat made me feel warm and fuzzy. I imagined how she was doing, picturing her stomach, our kits, in my mind. Half a moon had passed since we left each other's side, and I still lay awake in my nest, thinking of her, feeling pangs of loneliness. However, I managed to push her out of my thoughts when I fought. I felt more at home here than in ThunderClan, and I had even grown to respect Demonstar. She was brave and bold, and the clans had hurt her, and treated her as an outcast, as they did to me.

Revenge was a delighting thought, and every day I stayed here, the idea of revenge started to sound better and better. Maybe it was my heritage, or the way the clans treated me, or just my demon side, I don't know, but Emberstrike was honestly the only one that mattered from the clans. And she was safe. Safe here. She wouldn't even know that I had been with Demonstar to attack the clans. I purred with dark delight. Those stupid star-pelted cats betrayed me. StarClan would get what's coming to them.

I left the alleyway, and padded to join my mother.

"Hello." I greeted her coolly.

"I thought I told you to rest." She responded.

"I need to practice my fighting skills." I growled, the anger in my tone no longer a lie. "StarClan will get whats coming to them. The clans will pay for what they did to me. To us. To everyone."

Demonstar's red eyes shone bright with approval. She dipped her head. "Good." She meowed, her voice pleased. "I can see it now."

"You really are a true BloodClan cat."

The thought of what she said did not bring any disgust to my mind. No horror. No fear. I instead just sat there, pride pulsing from me. Excitement and pride as I replayed what she had just told me.

_I really am a true BloodClan cat._

When I awoke, I stretched, yawning. For the first time ever, my life had fallen into routine.

Wake up and hunt.

Battle training.

Train others.

Battle training.

Hunt.

Wash self.

Sleep.

My mind was clear, at least for now. Every time after a battle, I become more darker, and more bloodthirsty. Thinking about Emberstrike would calm me down, but hey, I can't think of her all the time. I wasn't sure which side I would follow.

Would I do what's best for the clans?

Or follow my own dark ambitions.

The clans did have a relationship with me, in a way you could say that. They took me in when I was an amnesiac, and they seemed to end up accepting me. It was StarClan who had messed with me, and it wasn't fair to make the hundred or so of alive cats that were living near the lake to pay for what their starry ancestors did to them. It wasn't their fault that StarClan was like that.

But the other half of me just wanted revenge. Desperate, thirsty, bloodlust was at war with my good side. I wanted to feel the flesh rip beneath my paws, the blood bubble up, my claws ripping and tearing. I wanted to sink my fangs into someone's flesh.

I realized now, how that sense of aggression was placed in me. It was all Demonstar's doing. Every single day I stayed here longer, the more and more she pushed me. Pushed me closer to my breaking point, where I would snap and enrage. Every time she managed to get me to that point, I would snap and kill somebody, therefor tainting my already damned soul even more. My demon side gets bigger per time she pushes me.

But I can't do anything about it.

Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn't leave by myself. There was no hope. I can still see Rook staring at me occasionally, but I've learned never to talk to him again. He seems dangerous and dark, and I didn't want him to hurt me.

Emberstrike was my light side, and without her here… I didn't want to go.

But if she was here, all I would care about is getting her to safety.

I feel as if this was the biggest mistake of my life, coming here to learn about my past. At least I know, my mother and father were both leaders. Demonstar and…. She never told me his name. She kept him a secret, but I could tell he was her biggest vulnerability. I could tell she actually loved him, but he played her heart.

As much as I hated Demonstar, listening to how that cruel tom played her still infuriated me.

"What were you thinking about?" Demonstar's sticky-sweet voice whispered in my ear, her breath tickling my fur.

I flinched away from her, scowling.

"Nothing that concerns you." I growled gruffly, before twisting away, and following that routine.

Yes, half of me wanted to be here.

But the other half didn't.

But secretly, I know in my heart…

In the war of light and dark, good and evil, that is raging inside of me…

I know the darkness will win.


	5. Chapter 4: Leaving The Twolegnest

_Guess who's back from vacation! :D School is starting in like two days, and so I've decided to get this chapter up. Sorry for the long delay, but I will be continuing my regular updating schedule (maybe a few delays) but mostly chapters will be posted per three days or so. Anyway, this chapter will be from Emberstrike's P.O.V. Now that we've finished the Sneak Peek things, this fanfic can finally start to get interesting again. :D_

_Hollowstar: Thanks for the patience! I'll check that song out on youtube later on, after I get my better computer fixed. :) Thanks for finding it though :O And I'm excited to check it out. Anyway, congratulations on getting a new phone :P thats exciting. I will regularly update + thanks, I love this story too._

_Forestclaw: Well, I found a 'warriors book cover' format from google, then I got a background I liked and edited it in. Then I drew a cat (well, if you count a really rough draft that takes like about three minutes drawing) a cat's face and I edit that into the circle part of the format. Then you add the text of the titles, and you- the author's, name, and bam. You have your cover. ^_

_Maleficent332: Thanks for the patience! I see that you've become quite the author yourself; and I find a lot of your stories quite intriguing. I especially like Spotlight. It's quite the interesting idea. So is Identical, and your Mortal Instruments one; Fixing A Broken Angel. I'll be following those stories:) I hope you're not too busy and you can still keep reviewing and reading my stories! _

_WarriorCatLover: Thanks for the patience! Everybody does have a soft side :P A weakness. It's just that a lot of people hide it, or they trick others into believing they don't have one. Well, now you know Demonstar's. O: Will it be discovered by Fallenpaw and Emberstrike? By StarClan? I actually don't know yet xD I didnt think that far ahead._

_Orangeflight of ShadowClan: Thanks for the patience! I hope Emberstrike will bring him back to the light side too. He was quite the kind protagonist. Fallenpaw's thoughts about BloodClan are still jumbled up and confused, and they'll start narrowing down and like he'll choose a side eventually :O But which side will he choose... dun dun dun duunnnnn!_

_Mirage1234: Thanks for the patience! Many are rooting for Fallenpaw to turn back good. xD I personally think having him as a protagonist is nice, because I like the tension between him and his mother when they are on opposing sides. But I also think that having him as an antagonist would be good, as I like the vulnerability but also rough sparks between him and everybody else. I guess we'll just have to see. o':_

_Anyway~_

_After all that time of waiting- here's the next chapter! :)_

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_"Fallenpaw!" _

_I could see him. I recognized him. Every curve, every edge, every color on him, every feature on his face. There he was; the tom that I loved, a cruel smile splitting his beautiful features as he spoke to a group of cats before him. His ear twitched, and his eyes got a dark glint in them. I recognize that glint. It was the one I had when I was telling Pricklepaw to attack Petalpaw. It wasn't good. It was evil._

_I tried again. "Fallenpaw!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, trying to dash forward, to touch him, to feel him, to smell him. But something held me back, something was dragging me back, clawing at the fur on my chest and yanking at my tail. I was sliding backwards, my claws digging into the ground and raking across them with a screeching noise that hurt my ears. "Fallenpaw! It's me! Emberstrike!" I tried again, screaming his name in desperation._

_He seemed to turn around then, his eyes wide with shock but also horror. In that moment of utter distraction, I saw an emotion overcome the darkness in his eyes. Love. It glowed there, an angel that had defeated the demons; even for a while. He looked around, his eyes passing over me blankly, as if I was invisible. He shook his head, his amber eyes darkening and a snarl appearing on his face and twisting his features from angelic back to demonic. I raced forward again, but was held back by that force._

_"Please…" I begged, looking at Fallenpaw. I longed for him, I yearned for him. Every single bit of him; I wanted him here with me so badly I couldn't even breathe. It hurt. I screamed and wailed, twisting and trying to get rid of the force. I spun around, staring at it, and my heart practically leapt into my throat. The one holding me back was a familiar gray tabby, his blind jay-blue eyes staring at me._

_"Emberstrike. Stop." He meowed quietly, his voice dead serious as he gazed solemnly into my wide amber eyes. His eyes reflected the same emotions as mine; worry, panic, fear. But they didn't hold love._

_I shook my head wildly, trying to escape his grip and dash towards Fallenpaw. "Please." I wailed, my voice sounding strangled. "I haven't seen him in so long…" Desperation coated my voice. I was, indeed, desperate. "Let me go to him… I just want to see if he's okay." _

_"No." Jayfeather meowed, yanking me back and jerking me upright so I faced him. His eyes were dark with emotions I couldn't read; they were so dark they were almost black. "He's not okay."_

_I swallowed a scream._

_"What's wrong with him?" I begged, my eyes wide and pleading._

_"Good versus evil." Jayfeather growled, his ear twitching with anger. "The shadowed side is winning."_

_"No." I refused to believe what Jayfeather was telling me, but inside my heart twisted at his words. My stomach clenched, and I felt bile rise in my throat, and I resisted the urge to gag. My mind whirled with panic, and I felt light-headed and dizzy. I choked for breath, my lungs burning. "No." I couldn't say anything else. I could only deny it; deny it for Fallenpaw._

_"You can save him."_

_Those four words immediately jerked me from pain and back into focus. I could save Fallenpaw, but how? I pushed down the bile from my throat, and swallowed some gulps of air. I stared seriously into Jayfeather's eyes, slowly recovering from the half panic attack I recently just had. "How." I demanded._

_Jayfeather's gaze flitted towards my stomach as he spoke. "Find him." _

_Immediately, my tail curled around my stomach, feeling the familiar bulge of my kits. Our kits. Fallenpaw's kits. "Where is he?" I replied instantly. "And how will finding him help?" I added quickly._

_"He's in the Twolegplace. BloodClan, the darkest of the darkest. Look in the alleyways; and when you find the one that has the metallic smell and taste of blood, the one that seems the most tainted, you will know." Jayfeather growled, his ears flicking._

_"Okay." I nodded firmly. "But why will finding him help?"_

_Jayfeather locked gazes with me as he started to fade. His pelt turned wispy, and I suddenly had a falling sensation as I knew I was about to be jerked back to the world of reality. _

_"Because you are his good side."_

I woke up, my heart pounding and blood roaring in my ears. Wasting no time, I raked my gaze across the clearing. I was in my fluffy twoleg nest for cats, and Linnea was asleep on one not too far away from me. I ran over to her, and prodded her lightly with a paw. She mumbled something inaudible, flicking her ear, before slipping back into sleep. This time I unsheathed a claw and poked her harder.

"Ow!" She yelped, immediately waking up. She stared at me, then at my unsheathed paw, then at the blood trickling from her shoulder. Her eyes widened in accusation as she immediately began to rasp at her wound, licking away the blood. "What do you want?"

"I have to go." I meowed hurriedly, waving my tail for her to walk with me. I sniffed at the bowl and ate as much as I could possibly eat, and drank as much milk and water as my stomach could possibly hold. "Fallenpaw needs me to help save him."

Linnea sighed heavily, and padded away from my side. "Fallenpaw, Fallenpaw, Fallenpaw." She muttered. "If he really needed your help; it would be for you to stay healthy with the kits." I shouldered past her, heading for the cat door. I let out a grunt of effort as I managed to squeeze myself and my already swollen belly through it. I heard the rustling of the flap as she padded out after me.

"Where are you going?" She demanded. "Tell me that, at least."

"To the alleyways." I responded quickly, before leaping up and perching myself neatly on the fence. "But I need to tell Red I'm leaving first."

"How about you just stay?" Linnea meowed, her ear twitching. She rasped her tongue over her white paw and drew it over her ears, calmly grooming herself. "Plus, I'd suggest you not go to the alleyways. It's dangerous in there."

I stopped walking on the fence, and gazed down at her. Our gazes met for a moment, our eyes both a mirror of worry but also affection. I had gotten to know Linnea well over the quarter moon I had spent with her, as she and Red were my only company. I didn't really like Daisy. "I want to say thank you." I meowed quietly to her, my amber eyes round as I stared solemnly at her. "And in case I don't make it… I want you, Daisy, and Red to-"

"I don't care." Linnea meowed firmly. "Don't tell me what you want to do right now. If you want me to do something later, you come here, and tell it to my face, got it?" Her voice was determined and brave, but I could detect the tremor in it and her quivering tail. She leapt up to the fence and pushed her muzzle into my shoulder, and she twined our tails together for a moment. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

I nodded bravely. "I'll see you soon. And then to your face I'll tell you what I want you to do." My eyes glowed with affection for the she-cat. "And you better do what I tell you!" I added.

"Seriously, though." Linnea's voice was solemn and quiet as she spoke, her ears flattened against her head. "I know I can't make you stay, but be careful out there. And if you ever need help; you know where to find me. I hope."

"I'll be careful."

Then I picked my way across the fence and leapt into Red's yard, and I scratched at his door. He slept rather close to the door, and he had told me that he was a light sleeper, so this was what I did when I wanted to tell him something. I gazed at the sky; it was pre-dawn. I focused my gaze on the sky as I awaited Red, and was instantly mesmerized by the beauty. It was alive with color today, a pale blue that darkened as it got higher, and it was splashed with reds, yellows, and oranges. It was so beautiful, it was difficult to believe it was leaf-bare soon.

"Emberstrike?" He meowed quietly, slipping out of the cat door. I spun around, and saw his familiar red pelt and wide green eyes. He tilted his head, looking curious and also slightly confused. He must have caught the dark look in my eyes and my seriousness, as he padded towards me and sat next to me. "What's wrong."

I decided to be straight-forward. "I'm leaving." I meowed shortly. I tried to wipe myself of emotions, but my voice sounded shaky as I spoke, and I felt the red-furred tom stiffen beside me, as if I had clouted him over the ear. The look he gave me was injured and depressed, his ears drooping. He looked miserable.

"What?" He whispered, crestfallen. "You're leaving?"

I felt my heart twist in my chest. I looked into his eyes and nodded once. I had spent so much time with Red. Almost every heartbeat I wasn't sleeping or eating, it was with Red. He showed me around the place, we played moss-ball, we laughed. A few times I had questioned my emotions for him, whether they were romantic, sibling-like, or if they were just out of pure friendship affection. I still didn't know; but… I felt as if we were leaning towards siblings.

Owlsoul had left me so early on, we hardly had any time to just talk about things and play. Red was always there for me when I needed him, and he was always listening when I was talking. He was kind to me, and gentle, but he was also funny and could make me laugh. I felt as if my regret was going to consume me. I held back a scream. It was so unfair; StarClan just had to do this to Fallenpaw, otherwise we would be back to ThunderClan, I never would have met Red, and wouldn't be suffering through this emotional pain.

"I'm sorry." Was all I could manage.

The look he gave me was so sad, so heart-broken, I had to drag my gaze away from him. I fixed it on a spot on the ground, my heart twisting in my chest, feeling distressed.

"Don't leave." He pleaded with me.

"I have to." I whispered mournfully, my teeth gnawing on my lower lip. I felt the metallic taste of blood flood my senses, and I realized with shock I had split my lip and it was now bleeding. "I'm sorry." I repeated myself, and I listened to my own voice. I sounded numb, emotionless, quiet. "I'm sorry."

He stretched out a paw, as if he wanted to touch me. To feel my pelt, to feel my warmth. He then curved his paw back, eyes wide. He looked like a winded kit. Then he seemed to regain his composure, and he drew himself up, chin held high, eyes flashing with defiance. "Then I'm coming with you."

Those five words made my heart skip a beat.

It was my turn to be flustered. "W-what?" I stammered, eyes wide, tail twitching. I took a step forward, a bit closer to him. We were so close now our muzzles were almost touching, and I could feel the heat radiating off of his body. He stared solemnly into my eyes, and I felt the tip of his tail brush mine.

"I'm coming with you." He repeated again, his green eyes determined.

"I'm going to face Fallenpaw alone." I told him, my ear twitching. I sat down, curling my tail over my paws. For some reason, all of the panic, all of the flustered confusion, had left my body. Now I was calm as a vixen, staring coolly at the tom sitting before me. "I need to face him alone."

He didn't seem to mind. "He's your mate. The father of your kits." He meowed, shrugging. There was no jealousy or longing in his voice, but I detected a hint of sorrow. Sorrow that he hadn't met me earlier; that he wasn't my mate. But it wasn't strong, and the determination and affection just about covered it up completely. "I know that you have to face him alone. And you will."

"So…" I frowned, tail flicking.

"I'm accompanying you to the alleyway." A light grin split his face. I hadn't seen him so happy for the whole night, and he purred loudly. "What kind of cat would I be if I let a pregnant cat go find her lost mate, all by herself?"

A whisper of a smile curled on my lips. "Not a good one?" I guessed, shrugging loosely.

"Bingo." He meowed, butting me affectionately and lightly in the shoulder. He twined our tails momentarily, before bouncing forward. Then I saw it in him again; his warrior spirit. His bravery and determination to fight for the ones he cared about, his selflessness but also strength. The muscles that rippled beneath his thick red pelt.

I swept my gaze around the back of the Twolegnest.

I leapt onto the fence, and he followed me.

Our two silhouettes glowed eerily against the shadows of the darkening sky, amongst a series of twinkling stars and a luminous moon, all shining with their celestial sheen. We padded silently on the nest, both of our hearts pounding. I looked at the gray Twolegnest, and then focused my gaze on the path next to it. We leapt off the fence, and I took a wary step forward, my paw pressing against the cold, hard ground.

It had been a while since I left the nest.

A silence hung over us, almost as deafening as a monster's roar.

Red decided to break the silence. "It'll be a real warriors quest!" He meowed excitedly, his tail waving. He pranced a bit ahead of me; and I purred lightly. He looked like a kit, out of the nursery for the first time.

Nostalgia and wistfulness clutched my heart in a firm grip, but I forced it to release my heart. I would be back in ThunderClan soon. And Fallenpaw would be going back with me.

However, right now I just need to focus on getting to Fallenpaw safely, with Red. We padded on the ground, and as I looked back, the Twolegnests were disappearing into the gloom of the night. Their last shapes shimmered once before vanishing completely. For some reason, I felt a trickle of fear.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself. Tentatively, I reached a paw and put it down on the ground in front of me. Then the next step, and the next. I felt myself relax slightly, and I decided to answer Red.

"Yes." I breathed, glancing at the red furred tom. "It will be."


	6. Chapter 5: Nightmare

_Sorry for the late update. School's just started and everything is super busy and just a giant mess, lol. Anyway, thanks for the reviews! Here's the next chapter:)_

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"Jump!"

I listened to her instructions, and leapt upwards in the air.

"Slash downwards, now!"

I slashed downwards as I fell, unsheathing my claws and raking them across my invisible enemy. I curled my claws into the ground, imagining it was my enemy's back that I had just landed on.

"Then rip out their throat."

I felt my blood turn to ice as my eyes darkened a moment, and I bared my fangs at an invisible enemy. My two sides were at war; my demonic side screaming yes and crying out for the blood, my good side was telling me no. I stretched my neck and opened my jaws, ready to snap them shut and sink my fangs into the air before an image of Emberstrike's beautiful red-ginger face, sad and dark with disappointment as she gazes at me, flicking her tail from side to side and shaking her head.

I hesitated.

I know she noticed. A sudden weight slammed into my side and my vision blurred with her black pelt and then I was tumbling through the ground, and I sprawled across it, dust flecking my pelt. Dots danced across my vision as I blinked wearily up at her, muscles aching with sudden exhaustion. I sheathed my claws and crouched low, pressing my muzzle at her paws, a sign of obedience and defeat.

"Why didn't you do as I say." It was her voice then; her familiar voice. The sweetness of it, the musical tone, the melody that made it sound so beautiful even though she just said a sentence. How cold she sounded, how wiped of emotion; she didn't even sound angry.

I flick my gaze up at her, eyes round. "I'm tired." I mumble through clenched teeth, offering up a lame excuse. A muscle near her jaw twitches, and I know she doesn't believe me. With a nod through cold eyes she turns her head away and stalks back to the clearing, sweeping her tail across the dust. "Thank StarCl-" I almost say 'StarClan', but I stop myself. They lied to me, and I shouldn't be referring to them.

I lie down in a small corner on the side of the clearing, and wrap my tail tightly around myself. I squeeze my eyes shut and then I'm asleep.

_I awake in a misty field, nothing around me. _

_The sky is a pale, foggy blue with wisps of white clouds floating lightly through it, and a pale yellow sun somewhere in the distance, lighting up a section of it. The pale gray, snow-capped mountains are somewhere in the distance, blending in with the horizon. _

_A pale shape, almost unseeable, is somewhere in the distance. But I can see her. I will always see her. Her beautiful, sleek ginger pelt with her sharp, triangular red ears, angular cheekbones, long lashes, slender pelt and wide amber eyes. Her jaws were open in a soundless scream, as she stared off into the distance._

_Something ripped through him like thorn-sharp claws, and he ran towards her. He sprinted as fast and hard as he could, his paws slamming against the ground as he skimmed across it and tried to reach her. However he found it was futile, as with every step he took she moved a step away. They were always just that distance where he could hardly see her, but knew she was there._

_Then Emberstrike was slammed onto the ground, writhing and flailing beneath an unseen opponent. He looked at her stomach, but it looked unusually flat._

_Then a dark red tom flashed by her side, green eyes dark with anger. He leapt forward, and wrapped his paws around the unseen assailant. His eyes glowed with fierce love and protection, and then Emberstrike crouched behind him, huddled next to two little shapes, her tail wrapping tightly around them. His heart twisted in affection, but a little piece of it broke off as he saw the dark red tom glance fondly at her, and rasp his tongue over the kits and her._

_He couldn't hear the tom, but he saw his lips mouthing the words. I love you, he said. And something inside him broke as he saw her say something too. I love you. I'm so glad you're here to protect me and our kits. _

_'Our kits.'_

_I screamed, raking my claws across the ground in frustration. I wanted to run to her, to scream and beg and plead, to ask how she could betray me, to tell her that these were our kits, not his, to tell her I was her mate, not him. That ginger furred tom with the green eyes and ugly face._

_The anger I felt was so realistic it frightened me; something was very wrong. It didn't feel like just a dream. It felt like more than that. Like it was real._

_Then the red furred tom was flung across the meadow, landing on the ground with a heavy thud. He staggered to his paws, obviously winded. A paw flashed out, and I blinked in shock as I saw it. I couldn't make it out exactly, but I saw a blur. Then he crumpled, and then the paw flashed out again, this time at Emberstrike. It was silver. With black stripes._

_My heart hammered against my chest. No, no, no. I begged. No!_

_The paw slammed into her side, and she crumpled. Then the shape came into view, and her eyes were round with hatred and disgust but also sorrow. She nudged her kits away, but they didn't get far._

_I saw him then; he had broad-shouldered, and a silver and black striped pelt marked with battle-scars. His paws were paler than the rest of his body, and his claws were sharp and dripping with a red substance. He darted after the kits and although they were far away, I heard the sickening crunch as if it was right behind me, as he snapped both of their necks between his teeth._

_"Emberstrike!" I tried to scream. "I'm sorry! It's not me!" I tried to tell her, but something was blocking my throat. I coughed and clawed at my throat, trying to rid myself of it, but it didn't work. Desperation made my head ache._

_Then the tom stalked towards her, paws thudding against the ground. One of the dead kits' limp body was dangling from his jaws, it's pelt matted with blood as it hung between his teeth. She was screaming with horror as she saw it, but she was unable to move. Then he dropped the kit beside her, swung his paw back, and kicked at her ribs with a sickening crunch. She wailed._

_Then the kits vanished all of a sudden, as did the red-furred tom. It was just Emberstrike and me. Her stomach was round, plump with kits. But the scene didn't change. I was still kicking her, kicking the kits. She was covering her stomach, eyes filled with sorrow and desperate love for me, and I could see that her jaws were open, begging and pleading with me to stop. Looking for the goodness in me._

_But I didn't stop._

_I watched, horrified and sorrowful and confused and angry and hateful all at the same time, as I swung my paw back and kicked at her stomach again. She stopped speaking, eyes filling up with pain. She lay limp as I heard another cracking noise, and then she didn't move again._

_Such sorrow pierced my heart I didn't think it would ever be fixed._

_Then my body could move, and almost unthinkingly I raced forward towards her limp body, finally reaching her. "It's too late." A voice said from behind me, cold with malice._

_"You fox-heart!" I scream, and then without even caring that I was attacking myself, I lunged. My claws were unsheathed, and my eyes were gleaming with battle light and the lust for revenge. I raked my claws across his side, and he did nothing to fend for himself. I clawed at his muzzle and kicked at his chest and bit at his tail, trying to inflict as much damage upon him as I could._

_He smiled at me, a demonic smile twisting his features. "You can't kill me." He says softly, his voice a mere whisper, nose brushing my ear._

_"I…" I try to say something, but I can't. I open my jaws and reach forward to deliver the killing bite, but something holds me back. An unseeable force pulls me back, something preventing me from ripping his ugly throat out. My ugly throat out. _

_Then I know he's right. He's me, my demon. And I can't defeat him._

_I gaze sorrowfully at him, and then at Emberstrike's dead body. Mangled and limp._

_"I'm so sorry…" I whisper, and then I collapse. _

Someone nudges me awake, and I awaken with a jolt. My muscles ache with exhaustion and my pelt stings as I move, especially my muzzle and tail. Confused, I lift a paw and hold it to my muzzle, and my heart seems to falter as I see a red liquid smudged on my pad. Blood.

"What?" I mutter, confused.

"Why are you bleeding?" A black she-cat is standing before me, her odd blood-red eyes glittering icily.

I don't know. I have no idea why I'm bleeding, and then it hits me. "I…" I don't say it, mostly because I'm afraid. That dream last night, the last part… It was real. I had actually been attacking myself. These claw-marks were things I inflicted upon myself. I choke a bit, horrified and scared at the same time.

Demonstar sighs in exasperation, kicking me forward. "Cinder!" She calls, and a pale gray she-cat hurries to her side, gazing obediently up at her. "Take care of Fallen. I don't know what the stupid cat has done to himself this time." Her voice sounds cold and disgusted, but gazing at her eyes… I can detect a hint of…. worry? I blink, startled.

I follow Cinder forward, but I can't concentrate.

The two parts of the dream that felt the most realistic; that ginger tom, and my attacking myself. If me attacking myself was real, did that mean the ginger tom was too?


	7. Chapter 6: Undeserving Of This Fate

_Sorry about the slow update, guys! :) School is surprisingly busy. O:_

_Mirage1234: Well... Fallenpaw meeting Red isn't as likely now, is it? :P Haha, Demonstar does not pass up the affection easily. That is one tough she-cat. But that's just how I like her3_

_Anonymous Wave: Thanks, and I'm terrible at endings, lol. It was summer so I was like, oh oop I should wrap this story up. The conclusion at the end was that Fallenpaw got to his goal of finding his heritage, and that they had misinterpreted the prophecy, and that Emberstrike was really the one._

_Maleficent332: I'm really liking your stories. :D I also like the one about The Mortal Instruments. I personally don't really like Clary, but Jace is cool. The movie is such a letdown though. ): Anyway, yeah, I'm having difficulty adjusting to school. I miss my sleep and relaxation and the days of no-homework. Also, thanks._

_Hollowstar: Haha, well, here it is. The next chapter~_

_I hope this chapter's set-up doesn't confuse you. The first part is like what happened, and after the _**== Earlier On This Day ==**_, that's like the replay on what had happened that led up to that happening, and a bit afterwards._

* * *

"Oh, StarClan."

The words felt like they were choking me as I stared numbly at his mangled paw. My heart was pounding against my chest, blood roaring in my ears, my paws trembling and eyes round. My lungs were screaming for air and my paws were aching and my stomach was knotted and my eyes were unfocused and everything hurt.

Especially my heart.

I stared at the limp shape in front of me, unmoving. There was the falling and rising of his chest that proved him alive… but his paw. Two claws were torn out, and it was twisted at an awkward angle. There was blood seeping out of it and it looked awful and mangled.

"Keep moving." Somebody shoved me from behind, and I snapped angrily at him.

"Can't you see he's hurt?" I snarled.

"Shut up." The cat kicked me again, and I cringed.

"What about him?" I demanded, glaring at my captor boldly.

"Leave him behind." Then my breath caught in my throat as I stared at his limp, battered body. He would die if he didn't get any help soon.

"He'll die!" I screamed at him, unsheathing my claws and leaping forward.

"Let him." The other tom's voice was cool, emotionless. He swiftly side-stepped my lunge and just sank his fangs into my scruff, throwing me forward. My paws curled around my stomach to protect it and I stared mournfully back at his body. His soft fur and innocent personality.

_You don't deserve to die like this._

**=== Earlier On That Day ===**

"So, Emberstrike." Red meowed casually. "How do you know which alleyway to go in?"

I blinked slowly, heart twisting as I realized I didn't have an answer to that question. I had exactly no idea where in the name of StarClan I was going.

"I… don't know." I groaned as I plopped down. "Where are we, even?"

I swept my narrowed amber gaze around my surroundings. There was a row of large, gray, twoleg-dens on the right side of us, with sharp gray stick-shaped things that stuck out of the ground with a transparent circle on top. I turned my head so I was facing the left. There was a thick Thunderpath with multiple monsters roaring across it, kicking up a weird black sludgy material that reeked and hurt my eyes.

Red leaned closer to me, so his ear-tip was brushing mine. My skin tingled where he touched it. "Hey." He meowed cheerily, grinning brightly at me. "It'll be okay. We'll find Fallenpaw." I searched for any jealousy in his tone, and I thanked the stars that there was none. He seemed perfectly fine with it. As much as I hate to admit it, a small, tiny tiny part of me was disappointed that he wasn't interested in me like that.

But I don't like that part of me.

"Come this way. I think I have an idea on where they would be hiding. It's dark and its dirty." He grinned at me, showing teeth. "Just like them!" He laughed a bit at his own joke, but I swallowed a gulp. What he said had gotten to me.

What if Fallenpaw really was dark now? What if he played dirty and was willing to unsheathe his claws quick? What if he thought that blood and violence was the answer? _What if his demon had taken over? _I tried to push all the worries out of my mind, but I couldn't. I twitched my whiskers nervously.

"Where are we going?" I asked him, twitching an ear.

"The shady part of this city." Red answered. "That's where there are many alleyways, and sometimes you can even see twolegs fumbling around with the dumpsters and garbage. There are also quite a few rats." He swiped his tongue over his lips, nodding to himself. "They taste better than they look, but some of them are plagued."

"Plagued?" I echoed in disbelief. "What do you mean- plagued?"

"Well, some of them are sick. Some of them are poisoned. Some are just really unhealthy and dirty and you shouldn't eat them." He pointed out. "Sometimes Twolegs throw away decent trash, and that has bits of leftover food."

My mind was whirling at all of the confusing vocabulary he was bombarding me with. "Slow down!" I exclaimed, exasperated at how different we talked. "Trash is… crowfood? Dumpster is where they keep crowfood?"

"Hey." Red meowed defensively. "Not all of the trash is bad. Sometimes there are pieces of meat in it, and it's not that dirty. But yes, I guess you could say that trash meant crowfood."

"How do we know if a rat is plagued or dirty?" I demanded.

Horrible images of Fallenpaw lying on the ground, choking and writhing desperately, clawing at his throat. His eyes filled with pain and stomach rippling and tilting his head to one side as he wretched. Other cats staring mercilessly down at him, not lifting a claw to help him.

I shuddered. _He's not that stupid. He's got to be getting some memories, maybe he knows how to tell. _

"Oh, and stray dogs." Red continued, waving his tail dismissively towards my question. I opened my jaws to protest, but what he had just said interested me more.

"Dogs?" My jaws dropped. "What kind of unhealthy, dangerous environment is this that we're going to?" I suddenly felt a forlorn feeling clawing at my spine, and I slowed down my pace. I looked nervously at Red, who offered a supportive smile.

"It's not that unsafe." Red meowed. "As long as you're with the right cat, you'll be fine." He gestured at himself, looking smug. "Fortunately for you, you're with the right cat. Me."

I narrowed my eyes at Red. I did my usual inspection of him. He sounded way too cheery for a cat who was about to go somewhere so dangerous. His pelt was a sleek dark reddish ginger color, and he had bright ginger ears with his narrowed dark green eyes. His muscles rippled beneath his thick, lush pelt, and his paws were light as he padded across the ground. Nothing was different about him, aside from the fact that he was flicking his tail nervously.

"Why are you doing that?" I asked him, angling my ears towards his tail. "Are you nervous?"

A shadow crossed Red's face, but it was gone so soon I thought I must have imagined it. He smirked a little at me, before flicking me lightly with his tail. "These places are dangerous. We should both be nervous."

"I thought you meowed-" I protested, glaring playfully at him.

He waved his tail to shush me. "Hey. Even though I'm amazing, pregnant cats are very slow and more defenseless targets." He poked at my belly, a teasing gleam in his eyes. "You're fat now, too. Makes you heavier."

"You mouse-brain." I scoffed. "I'd still beat you in a fight if it came down to one." I bared my teeth at him, dropping into a crouch before picking myself up again. Then I sighed wearily, ears twitching. "I know." I meowed softly. "It's not just dangerous for me. It's dangerous for them as well."

"So…" Red meowed, changing the topic. "Have you thought of names yet?"

I blinked slowly. I had been so stressed and busy worrying about Fallenpaw and how I would be able to get him back that I had never really thought of my kits as living things. I felt love and protective of them, but I wished I wasn't pregnant. Not at this time at least. "No." I confessed. "I didn't really think of them as being alive until you really brought this up."

Red blinked in astonishment. "You haven't?"

"Nope." I blinked slowly, then smirked at him. "Maybe I'll name one Redkit, after you. He can be the warrior you never could." I poked him playfully in the side, but he didn't react as I expected. He put his tail out to stop me and we just stood there for a moment. I shuffled my paws awkwardly, unsure of what was going on.

He looked genuinely sorry as he stared into my round eyes, his eyes darkened with sadness and swimming with memories. "I'm sorry, Emberstrike." He murmured softly, his ears flattened miserably. "I'm sorry I'm not the cat you want me to be."

I blinked, my amber eyes pool of bewilderment. "What?" I asked, bemused. "It doesn't matter if you aren't a clan cat." I touched my tail-tip gently to his chest. "You've got the heart of a warrior."

"That's so cheesy." Red pointed out, his eyes twinkling playfully again. Then he looked solemn and forlorn again as he stared down at his paws, ears flattened.

I followed him in an uneasy silence. I never bothered to wonder how he seemed to know exactly where he was going. _Maybe he used to be a stray. _I told myself. But something about Red today was off.

"Here it is." Red meowed, shooting me a half-nervous smile. "The slums."

"Let's go." I bounced a little on my paws, forgetting my worries.

"Slow down, Ember." Red meowed lightly, pushing his tail in front of me and blocking my way. "We have to cross the Thunderpath first."

Blood roared in my ears, my heart hammering, paws tingling uneasily. I swept my gaze from right to left, and then from left to right. Everything seemed to slow down, and the pounding of my heart could suddenly be heard in my ears.

"Go!"

His voice sounded far away, but I streaked forward. Adrenaline coursing through my body, my hind-paws pushing against the gray-black ground of the Thunderpath, my front-paws skimming across the surface. My lungs were telling me to take a breath, but I didn't want to spare that heartbeat.

As I neared the other end, after what felt like moons, I skidded to a stop. I gulped in great breaths of air, my eyes still slightly blurry. My gaze focused and I glanced around wildly for Red.

He was right beside me. I sighed with relief, and padded over to him.

"Hey." He greeted me. "Were you frightened?"

"Yes." I answer honestly. "Were you?"

"Nope!" He grinned triumphantly, puffing out his chest.

I unsheathed a claw and poked it at his chest, where he flinched away and shot me a sad look with big, round eyes. "Liar." I giggled.

"Doesn't matter." He laughed. "I've got my beautiful looks."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, please."

Red picked himself up and shook his pelt, dirt and grit showering out of it. "Disgusting." He muttered. "I need to groom myself." I rasped my tongue over my shoulders and chest, giving myself a swift grooming. I leaned forward, offering to help groom him, but he flinched away from me as if ashamed.

"We should keep moving." He mumbled, evading my gaze.

I narrowed my eyes. Now something was definitely wrong. I picked myself up and padding warily after him, ears open and eyes wide and senses alert. We entered an alleyway, not the first one, but I didn't question him.

"Um," He meowed nervously. "I'm going to go hunt you something. Just stay here and rest, okay? We should be well-prepared before meeting these friends of Fallenpaw's. I'm sure they're going to be real friendly." The word friendly was dripping with sarcasm, but I detected nervousness and uncertainty in his eyes. His tail was twitching and he was blinking more than often, his voice holding a slight tremor in it, his paws reluctant.

"Oh. Okay." I called after him. "Thanks."

He padded forward slowly, then began to move faster, then he broke out into a run and swerved around the corner and into deeper alleyways.

I looked around. The alleyway was quite thick, about six fox-lengths wide. There were a few dark blue things that held crowfood in it, which I assumed where the 'dumpsters' holding the 'trash'. The sides of the alleyway were dark, and some of them were splashed in a mixture of colors that were assembled to look like something. Some twoleg thing, I assumed. There was bits of color chipping off of the walls, peeling and crumbling down to the ground. It was very dusty here, and I picked up a faint metallic scent of blood. On the side to my left there was a knocked over black thing that held crowfood in it too, and the crowfood was spilling out. It reeked.

I knew that if I looked under some dumpsters then I would be able to find some rats, but I was unsure of which ones were poisonous and which ones weren't. So I sniffed around, staring disdainfully at the ground. It was coated in a layer of dust and there was grime and dirt and pieces of crowfood everywhere. However, I was so exhausted I padded to an area I figured was relatively clean compared t the rest and settled down, resting my head on my paws. My eyelids drowsy, I closed them and just let myself relax for a few moments.

I don't know how long I waited like this. It felt like sunrises. Moons.

"Ember." Someone was hissing in my ear and prodded me gently in the side. I mumbled something incoherent before opening my eyes slowly. I looked up. The sky was a dark gray-blue color that was splashed with oranges, reds, and yellows. I could hardy see the sun as it was already hiding behind the mountains. It was sunset already.

I lifted myself to my paws, fixing my gaze on the tom before me. "You took forever." I muttered blearily. My vision was still blurry, because for some reason I saw another shape hanging behind him.

"Yeah. Sorry." He mumbled. He kicked me a limp shape, and I poked at it with a paw. As I lifted my head, I noticed a scruffy dark tom sitting behind him, blue eyes narrowed.

"I'm not hungry anymore." I snapped at Red, getting irritated and confused. I kicked the rat away from me, unsure of what to trust. "Who's that?" I gestured at the tom behind him.

"That's Cedar." Red answered, looking away from me as he spoke.

"Is that Emberstrike?" Cedar meowed gruffly, jerking his tail in my direction. Red nodded quickly. Immediately the dark tom stepped forward, black spots on his pelt rippling as he moved towards me.

I didn't have time to react before I was forcefully thrust onto the ground, my body sprawled and head slamming into the grit and dust. I let out a hiss of pain, vision blurring again. I could hear shouting from above me.

"That wasn't part of our deal!" Red was shouting angrily, eyes narrowed.

"You don't know what you agreed to, little kit." The other tom, Cedar, snarled at Red. His voice was cold as ice and so malicious it sent shivers down my spine.

I let out a groan, before picking myself up and gazing with blurred and unfocused vision at the tom. Stumbling a bit, I lunged forward, sinking my claws into his shoulder. He reared backwards and shook me off as if I weighed nothing. Slower and weaker, I hung on tightly to his fur. With an enraged snarl, he leapt backwards and pressed his weight down on me.

My belly was then screaming with pain. I then screamed with pain. "Get off! Get off!" I was wailing, twisting violently, trying to get him off of my stomach. My kits.

"Get off of her!" A blur of red crossed my vision and then Red bowled the other tom over.

"You don't know how to fight!" I shrieked, voice shrill with panic.

"Run!" He yowled back.

"What was your deal with him?" I demanded. I know it was terrible timing, but I wanted to know if Red was worth saving or not.

Red sounded absolutely miserable. He leapt forward, a clumsy bite aimed at Cedar's shoulder. He sank his teeth into the fur, but it was loose and the older and more experienced tom immediately shook him off. "I…" He let out a cry of pain as Cedar slashed his claws down his flank. "I wanted to prove to you that Fallenpaw wasn't a good cat. I thought BloodClan would help me. Cedar came to me, telling me to help bring you to Fallenpaw, as you're his weakness. They were going to kill him. I'm sorry." Red's eyes were orbs of sadness and regret. "I was jealous and I really thought Fallenpaw was a bad tom. What kind of tom leaves his pregnant mate?"

"What kind of tom endangers a pregnant she-cat?" I shrieked at him, defensive of Fallenpaw.

However, I could see the nobility of his actions. He had been tricked. I decided he was worth saving. Leaping forward, I raked my claws down Cedar's shoulder, clamping my jaws on his scruff.

He ignored me, but pinned Red down. The red tom let out a shriek of pain as Cedar raked his paw down his sides, and the dark gray tom slashed at Red's muzzle. Red was immobilized, his whole body trapped underneath the other tom. I leapt out from behind Cedar, and lunged at his side, barreling into him and knocking him off Red.

"Nuisance." Cedar growled at me, before lunging for my stomach.

Then everything happened in slow motion. I had ducked my head down in front of my stomach, my paws curled over my head and stomach. Then he barreled into my head, and it ached. I was flung backwards, and I heard a loud smacking noise as my body hit impact against the wall. Then my head was screaming with agony along with one of my paws and I slumped down to the ground. My vision was unfocused and blurry and numbly I lifted a paw to my head, heart faltering for a heartbeat as I saw my pad coated in a thick layer of fresh blood. _My _blood.

Red wasn't able to fend off Cedar by himself. He pawed weakly at the other cat. Then I was screaming at him, screaming something incoherent. I was telling him to run, to leave. Cedar lunged forward and clamped his jaws tightly over Red's paw. Then I heard an awful cracking noise that made my heart ache. I saw his paw was limp. Then Cedar sank his fangs into the paw and slashed at it. I couldn't watch. I squeezed my eyes shut.

I could only hear the yowls of pain coming from Red.

"Move." Then something was kicking at my back, and I stumbled forward.

I opened my eyes at the scene unfurling before me. Red was lying there, his dark fur streaked with blood.

"Oh, StarClan."

The words felt like they were choking me as I stared numbly at his mangled paw. My heart was pounding against my chest, blood roaring in my ears, my paws trembling and eyes round. My lungs were screaming for air and my paws were aching and my stomach was knotted and my eyes were unfocused and everything hurt.

Especially my heart.

I stared at the limp shape in front of me, unmoving. There was the falling and rising of his chest that proved him alive… but his paw. Two claws were torn out, and it was twisted at an awkward angle. There was blood seeping out of it and it looked awful and mangled.

"Keep moving." Somebody shoved me from behind, and I snapped angrily at him.

"Can't you see he's hurt?" I snarled.

"Shut up." The cat kicked me again, and I cringed.

"What about him?" I demanded, glaring at my captor boldly.

"Leave him behind." Then my breath caught in my throat as I stared at his limp, battered body. He would die if he didn't get any help soon.

"He'll die!" I screamed at him, unsheathing my claws and leaping forward.

"Let him." The other tom's voice was cool, emotionless. He swiftly side-stepped my lunge and just sank his fangs into my scruff, throwing me forward. My paws curled around my stomach to protect it and I stared mournfully back at his body. His soft fur and good personality. So good to me.

_You don't deserve to die like this. _

"Move it!" Another paw swung at my back and I let out a cry of pain. But I stumbled forward, tearing my gaze off of Red's limp and unmoving body. My head was throbbing and I could feel the blood trickling out of the wound. Red blurred the side of my vision and I felt the sticky liquid clinging to my eyelashes. I curled my paw towards my chest, coughing and wheezing and gasping for air.

Nothing felt right. Nothing.

I was stumbling around in a daze, the tom behind me kicking me. He shoved me forward and I resisted the urge to just fall down and never get back up.

Fallenpaw. Red. Fallenpaw. Fallenpaw. Fallenpaw. Fallenpaw. Red. Fallenpaw. Fallenpaw. Must go on. He needed me. Our kits needed me. I couldn't die now; I just couldn't. I pressed on, black spots dancing across my vision. My head hurt more than I thought was possible, and with each step I found it harder and harder to breathe.

I couldn't rest. Cedar was shoving me forward.

Then he yanked me by the tail backwards, and I was sprawled across the ground again. Now it just hurt too much. I lay limply on the floor, my vision blurring black and then the lights flickering back on. Shadows were dancing across my vision and it was so hard to stay awake. To stay conscious.

Cedar shot me a disgusted look before bounding forward. He called something. Demonstar, I think. He sounded so far away it felt like he wasn't near me at all. I heard pawsteps, but they sounded not near to me. I could hardly focus. I could see two shapes looming over me. They weren't defined. Just shadows. Blurred together and mixed into the background.

However one of them looked slightly familiar, especially the shape of its eyes, ears, and cheekbones. I didn't know why. What I noticed most were the blood-red eyes. They stared eerily at me, as if it was looking right through me and into my soul.

"What's your name." I felt somebody kick my side, and I was so exhausted I could hardly speak.

"My…" Every word hurt. My voice was slow, drowsy, filled with pain. "name is Emberstrike…" I slurred, my own voice sounding so far away I could hardly hear it.

Blackness flickered across my vision again, and then whiteness came back. The dark grays and whites and blackness of the shadows swirling around.

"Don't let Fallenpaw see her." Somebody ordered. "Take her away. Don't kill her yet. I'll send somebody to tend to her." Its voice was cold and menacing as it next spoke. "If anybody lets Fallenpaw find out… I'll rip them apart."

Then I felt myself being dragged away.

Blackness flickered across my vision once more, then white. However it was darkening, becoming blacker and blacker until it was actually just black. I let out one last groan of pain.

Then I remembered what that red-eyed cat had said.

Fallenpaw.

Fallenpaw was here.


	8. Chapter 7: Falling Through A Rabbit Hole

_Thanks for the reviews. :) Here's the next chapter. I'll be trying to update once every week~_

...

Everything hurt.

I let out a soft moan as I tried to move my body, but failed. My eyelids felt like they were pressed so tightly together they could never open again. I peeled them open after what seemed like eternity, and the bright light I had been expecting never came. Instead there was just blackness. Darkness hung all around me, and there were no other cats around, aside from one. My guard.

My vision was still blurred with black and my head was throbbing. My stomach cried out in pain as I moved, due to the scorching ache of hunger gnawing at me. I cringed and curled my tail over my stomach. _My kits! _Immediately, I ducked my head down to make sure they were okay. There were a few scratches on my stomach but I'm pretty sure that was well-protected. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I lay down.

Observing my surroundings felt like a decent idea to me. The walls were dark and dirty, with dust and poison ivy growing on a few. The ground was coated in a blanket of dust, covered in grime and splashed with blood. My blood. I raised my head and looked at my guard.

He had shaggy black fur, piercing ice-blue eyes and a shaggy, bushy tail. He was silent, staring at me, his body still. He didn't have much movement, but I know he was watching me. He hardly even blinked.

"H-hi." I meowed softly, looking up at him with scared amber eyes.

He didn't respond. Figures.

Dragging my gaze away from him, I looked downwards and sighed a little. I noticed that a few of my major wounds had been healed up with cobwebs and herbs. I, however, did not see any prey. "Hello?" I called to the guard again. "Can I have some prey… please?"

His voice was calm and cold as he replied. "No."

"Are you going to starve me?" I inquired, my breathing coming in fast gulps. I didn't come this far just to die. I couldn't. I had to find Fallenpaw, to save him from this horrible fate. Else he'll never make it to StarClan, we'll never see each other again.

"No." He meowed again, his voice taking on a softer tone. "We're not going to starve you."

Now I was confused. Blinking in bewilderment, I sighed, shoulders sagging. This didn't make sense. They weren't going to starve me, but I wasn't allowed any prey. "Can I have something to eat, then?"

"You can't have prey." The tom repeated himself. "You can have this, however." He kicked something towards me, icy blue eyes gleaming. A dash of familiarity sparked in his eyes as he really looked at me, but it was gone so fast I thought I had imagined it. This tom wasn't familiar to me at all.

I looked down at what was given to me. It was a tiny block of something brown, and as I touched it a bit of it crumbled away. It was covered in dust and one side of it was blackened and hard. "What is this?" I meowed in disgust.

"Bread." He replied. "Twoleg food. It's less nutritious as prey, but it'll keep you alive."

Tentatively, I dropped into a crouch. I nosed at the bread, smelling at it. Hesitantly I rasped my tongue over it, licking off a few crumbs. They tasted dull and like nothing in my mouth. I bit off a small piece, chewing it, but I disliked it. It didn't taste very good; it was very dull and tasteless. I forced myself to finish it, shivering slightly as the food slid into my empty belly. I did feel a little bit better.

"Thanks." I meowed quietly. Only after eating had I realized that I was imprisoned in some sort of… twoleg thing. There were tall metal bars reaching upwards all around me. It was like a fence, but it was too tall and spiky for me to get out from. "What is this?"

The black tom shrugged. "Beats me. Some kind of cage I suppose." He answered coolly before settling down, looking over at me with narrowed eyes. "Don't even bother to escape."

I nodded. Then something hit me. If this tom was from BloodClan, he would know about Fallenpaw, wouldn't he? I pressed my face into the bars, peering at him, trying to get closer. "Please." I begged him, eyes pleading. "Do you know where Fallenpaw is? Is he okay?"

"I know Fallenpaw." Rook's voice was dark as he spoke the name. "He's not okay. He's heading over to the dark side."

"The dark side?" I frowned.

"Demonstar's side." Rook meowed quietly.

"Aren't you on her side?" I demanded.

Then a blur of black flashed forward, and he was there, glowering at me from outside the cage. He spat angrily, fangs bared and claws unsheathed. "Not everyone chooses to be here, she-cat." His voice was a low growl, filled with bitter hatred.

"W-what do you mean?" I stammered, taken back. Not everyone chose to be here? A spark of hope lit in my chest. Maybe I could gather a few unwilling cats and create a rebellion.

"One or two others are like me." The tom meowed softly. I felt a sinking feeling in my chest. Only two or three, including him? That wasn't enough. I slumped down to the ground, exhaustion weighing my limbs.

"Why are you talking to me?" I asked him quietly, looking up at him.

The tom's eyes shimmered for a moment, and he looked almost… sane. Almost like he wasn't a murderer. "The way Fallenpaw talks about you." He meowed softly, his voice so gentle, as if afraid to break me. "His love for you is so strong. It confuses me." The tom shook his head wildly. "You remind me of someone. Someone I loved so much. My mother."

"Oh." I meowed shortly, a bit disconcerted.

"Go to sleep." He meowed, voice slightly singsongy. "I'll tell you a story."

"What?" I mumbled, voice blurry.

"Considering your about to die, and telling someone who's going to die a secret will mean it's not going to get exposed, I might as well." The tom meowed to me. "It'll be a load of my shoulders."

I winced at his words but reluctantly lay down and squeezed my eyes shut. I however kept my ears open to listen to his story. "Well, okay then." I mumble.

"There was once a young tom. He had shaggy black fur and odd ice-blue eyes. You would think he'd get teased due to his strange looks, but he wasn't. He had a family. A loving and caring family. A family that protected him at all costs. He loved them, especially his mother." His voice cracked a little, and he sounded so wistful. "Then one night, he had gotten into an argument with his mother. They lived in an abandoned twoleg nest, you see. He went upstairs and hid in one of the cabinets, angry and unwilling to talk to his mother. Somehow, it had caught fire."

I felt my heart twist.

"I don't know how. Still to this day, I remember it so clearly." His voice sounded distant, far away. "The flames, how they reached up with their forked tongues. The scarlet flames flickering and dancing around me. The smoke, so thick and so hard to breathe in. He was coughing, the young tom. He was choking on the smoke, and his eyes stung and watered. He could hardly see." The tom was clearly making an effort to keep his voice still. "It was the worst night of his life. He thought he would die. But he didn't. He had made it out of the room, and he heard a yowl from the cat he loved most. His mother."

_Evil isn't born. It's created._ Something about that sentence made sense about the black tom.

"His mother ran towards him and grabbed him by the scruff. She said: Rook. I love you. You've always been my strongest tom, haven't you? Then she laughed so sadly he felt his heart would break. She was then running through the flames, avoiding burning furniture. The window we were going to exit through was right there. She pushed me forward, but because I slipped, she caught me. That vital moment was wasted. A flaming light from the ceiling dropped, and if not for my mother pushing me out of the way and through the window, I would have died."

I had briefly noticed that he had switched from 'he', to 'I'.

"As I went through the window, I looked back. Everything was happening in slow motion. The light… it fell. My mother was there. I heard her sharp screech of pain. Then it was cut off. Silent. My fur was singed and I felt so miserable and lonely. That night I had lost everything. My sister. My father. My mother. My brother. Nothing felt right again. But I knew I had to honor my mother. I was her strongest tom, and I could survive on my own. So I become a loner." The tom, Rook, shook his head.

"I… I'm sorry." I meowed quietly.

A whisper of a smile traced across his lips. "I was a good fighter, and a good hunter. My father had taught me so much. My mother had encouraged me. Her spirit inspired me to practice harder and better. So I was able to live by myself. Then, it happened. A group of cats, the fiercest cats you had ever seen, came. It was lead by a large tom and a slender she-cat. That she-cat was so beautiful. The most beautiful cat I had ever seen. It was enchanting. But her eyes. Her blood-red eyes." Rook whispered. "Demon was her name at the time. It fit her. She was a demon wearing an angel's costume. She captured me, and forced me to join. I've tried to escape, but every time she would find me. Her voice is so soft, so sweet. I hate her but I can't hate her."

"You love her?" I ask.

A poisonous look passed his face. "Love is a strange thing, she-cat." He meowed to me. "It's odd how we fall in love with demons. Demons who are so dangerous and dark." He looked downwards, miserable. "Someone who I can never have, but can never escape. It's like I'm falling through a rabbit hole. I'm falling, and every time I land, every time I try to escape, I can see the light once more. I'm so close. But right before I can climb out, my claws slip and I'm falling again. It's like a curse I can never escape."

I looked at him. He looked so miserable. "I'm really sorry, Rook."

"I thought your mate could help me." He cut me off. "Fallen. I thought he would rebel. Go against her. He was so angry when he came, but I knew he was pure. His love for you cleansed him over and over, every time her poison tried to overtake him, your love cleansed it away. His love for you cripples him, but strengthens him. You're his greatest weakness, but his greatest strength."

"What do you mean?" I demanded.

"He fought her. She killed a cat, goading him into the fight with the idea that she was killing you. She was ginger with amber eyes, just like you. As soon as her claws connected with the cat's neck, Fallen flew into a frenzy. He lunged at her with more force than anyone else. His eyes, his body. He moved faster than anybody else. He was fighting out of love. He completely destroyed her. What was even more odd was that she didn't fight back. She looked distant, far away, afraid. If she hadn't recovered and shoved him off, Demonstar would be dead." Rook replied.

"So why doesn't Fallenpaw just kill her?" I demanded.

A shadow passed Rook's face. "I've said too much already." He meowed softly, pulling away. "Sleep now, Emberstrike. You'll need the energy."

He knew more than he was telling, but he had told me so much already. I closed my eyes, one thought lingering in my mind.

Rook could be a valuable asset. He could get me out of here.


End file.
